Sakthi Dancers and Sister Chandra

This is the story about a nun, fighting against Caste system. The way she fights, is beautiful and strong.
Sister Chandra saw God in the villagers, who are untouchables. At the same time her mission is teaching about “Rights” to them.
There are no answers in the seen of Sakthi.
I heard about Sakthi dancers and a nun, from a friend, at a restaurant in Tokyo. I knew I had to come. I bought a video camera and flew to India.
This is the story about a nun, fighting against Caste system. The way she fights, is beautiful and strong.
With the collaboration of twenty animators, Sr. Chandra, Sr. Annuncia, and Sr. Felcy, are involved in the activities of Sakthi Center. Their training programs provide solid foundation for their trainees, who are mostly Dalits, untouchables. So far 200 young women were trained and 20 of them are working with them as full time animators in building the humanity right now.
Sakthi Dancers has performed all over Tamil Nadu, focusing on woman empowerment at over 1100 occasions in India.
Meaning "broken and crushed," the Dalits are the descendants of India's first people. They were conquered by invading Aryan hordes around 2500 years ago, when Hinduism first took root in the country.
Sister Chandra decided to devote her life to God and become a Catholic nun, when she was her mid twenties. She was sent to a village in Karnataka State where she was given a task. The task was to get into the society with the people and live with them for three months, identify their problems and learn from it, without letting them know her identity. It was this time; an incident happened that changed her life. She was working in the paddy fields with the untouchable Dalit women. She was exhausted at this time. With her throat drying with thirst, she saw a pot of water in the meadow. She reached for it and gulped a cup. The owner, a higher caste woman ran over her suddenly and gave her a tight slap on the face. Dalits were not allowed to drink from the same cup with higher Caste people. Sister Chandra was grounded. She sank in tears of ignominy and in glory. She covered her face and ran away sobbing. She made a conviction; she was going to work for the oppressed.
Sister Chandra saw God in the villagers, who are untouchables. At the same time her mission is teaching about “Rights” to them.
There are no certain answers in the seen of Sakthi. But there are questions to the people who are sharing the present time.
Why do we dance?
Maybe, to remember the harmony of Universe.

Credits

Sakthi Cancers and Sister Chandra
Produced and Directed by Kazu Matsui